Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

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Supporting Cast to the Christmas Story: The Magi

JESUS MAFA. The Three Wise Men, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48399 [retrieved December 6, 2013].[1]
Last time we looked at the shepherds, wondering what they could teach us. Now we are headed to the other end of the cultural spectrum to the Magi. A few picky details to clear up: they were probably not kings. Most likely they are Persian astrologers. We don’t know how many of them there were, but three gifts are mentioned – gold, frankincense (incense), and myrrh (perfume).

Talking about the Magi pushes the boundaries for thinking about Advent, because the Magi don’t enter into the story until almost two years after Jesus is born. King Herod inquires of the Magi the time of the appearance of the star, and when he commands that the infants be killed, it is those male infants two years old and younger. The coming of the Magi is observed on January 6 – Epiphany.

What is of interest to us is the fact that when they inquire of Herod they say, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matt 2:2). They were astrologers, after all, and kept their eyes to the sky. There has been much discussion over the years of what they actually saw. A comet is a common depiction of the event. Some have speculated it was a rare conjunction (several planets being in close proximity in the sky). Whatever it was, they noticed!

We can benefit from noticing a few things ourselves: [Read more…] about Supporting Cast to the Christmas Story: The Magi

Week in Review: Last Minute Shopping Edition

What are you reading, watching, thinking about this week? Anything special with some time off or is there too much going on with the holiday?

As usual, here’s a few which have been on our mind. Let us know your thoughts on any/all of them.  In addition, if you have items you’d like us to consider for the top five, add them in the comments or send them to Tom or Mike.

1. In Star-Studded Wise Men: Rethinking the Christmas Story (December 7, 2009), Ben Witherington delivers a strong corrective regarding some popular renderings of Christmas.  Ben has a similar post focused upon Luke 2:1-7, No Inn in the Room (December 09, 2007).  (HT:  Arlene)

2.  More stocking stuffers?  Stan Guthrie and John Wilson, Christmas Books, Part 3 (Podcast, posted 12/08/09).  Forward the link to Buster Keaton’s College (1927) and have a laugh. Any additional suggestions you have for our Christmas Wish List?

3. Even more stocking stuffers! Don’t forget about the discounts you receive with your ESN membership from IVP and Eerdmans. Books make great gifts (hint, hint).

4. This is a time of year when many interviews and job searches are conducted, so take a few minutes to read this good advice from David Perlmutter about “Avoiding a ‘Nuclear Veto’ in Hiring” from the Chronicle. Perhaps it will make next Christmas a bit merrier! (HT: Kim)

Books

5. From Mike: Laura Vanderkam in the WSJ recently wrote “Seen and Not Heard in Church,” about the tension between the ideals of intergenerational worship and the messy realities of crying babies, restless toddlers, and bored children of all ages. May I recommend a couple of that my wife (who teaches music to very young children) has found helpful?

Parenting in the Pew (IVP) by long time IV staff, current John Brown U. faculty member, and Dead Theologian’s Society founder Robbie Castleman – a very practical, and compact, book on training your children to worship

Teaching Kids Authentic Worship (Baker) by Kathleen Chapman – a guide with 52 ideas for “worship moments,” in and out of church

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin) by Richard Louv – not about worship per se, but about children encounter reality around them – which, in a way, is what worship does, too

And there’s one more that I can’t find right now. You’ll just have to check back later today when I add it to the comments!

12/5/2012 8:15 AM Editors note: For ESN’s developing Advent archive click here.